


Snowdrop

by DwarvishWarriors



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Love at First Sight, M/M, Meddling brothers, Misunderstandings, Oblivious, Secret Identity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-01
Updated: 2014-10-25
Packaged: 2018-02-15 18:52:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2239668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DwarvishWarriors/pseuds/DwarvishWarriors
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ori meets a strange dwarf at the market... and by strange he means incredibly sweet and handsome!</p><p> </p><p>A sort of sequel to 'Baby Ori Tales'</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [Snowdrop (Chinese version)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2832812) by [AlisaMiz12](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlisaMiz12/pseuds/AlisaMiz12)



Dori hummed as he walked out the front door of his house and straightened his tunic, woven basket under his arm and dark purple wrap around his head, to hide his greying hair from the blistering light of Ered Luin, he breathed deeply as he stepped into the fresh air before turning back to the shadow of doorway and tsked.

 

 

"Come along, Ori, keep up." Dori said and out of the shadow stepped out a slim dwarf with a matching drape over his head, seven summers had passed since Ori's graduation and apprenticeship acceptance, the slim dwarf had flourished over the years and had filled out his dangly limbs, he was now quite a attractive dwarf and was swarmed with suitors, even though none of them had wormed their way into the young one's heart. Much to the joy of his elder brothers.

 

Ori didn't say a word as he followed his brother into the light and down the path toward the market square. Dori walked in front of him of course mumbling about the lack of coin in is pouch, he knew that Nori had more than likely helped himself to the spare silver that lined the pouch beforehand, he would have very serious words when he got home from wherever he was now.

 

Dori was so busy mumbling to himself that he didn't notice Ori stopping in his walking to admire some flowers on a nearby stall, the dwarves occupying the small table talking avidly to one another in Khuzdul and writing prices on small folded pieces of white card. Ori instinctively tucked his crop of gingery hair, and with it his hood, behind his ear. The small dwarf leaned down slightly before he placed his noise close to a bundle of purple dotted flowers and breathed in deeply while the crisp, fresh scent began caressing his nose instantly.

 

Ori continued to move around the stall and pick up flowers, unknowing of the soft blue eyes set directly on him.

 

\----

 

Dwalin patrolled the quiet market square, his commanding officer had sent him into the small village today to keep any eye out for thieves or conmen, so far none had showed themselves. So to Dwalin it was a rather slow day, so he decided to just slow his pace and perhaps have a look around the merchant stalls for any goods worthy of his coin.

 

However, as Dwalin turned the corner, he saw _him_.

 

At the flower table was a short dwarf he had never seen this side of the town before, with a worn purple hood around his head and his nose currently pressed against a bouquet of sunflowers. Behind him the late rising sun glistened against his copper locks and practically lit the world in a new wonderful light.

 

He was beautiful.

 

Alas, Dwalin had learned on many occasions that his people skills were not really what his elder brother, Balin's, were. Also, his appearance was hardly a good net for catching attractive dwarves as well and would have the misfortune of attracting rough and harsh dwarrows. He was gruff and bald and had dark tattoos with opposing shiny piercings all over his body, hardly anybodies ideal  _'take home to mother'_  type dwarf, nor was he eye catching other than in the roughness of his appearance.

 

Dwalin's legs had another idea though as he walked stiffly over to the flower table, not only would he frighten the lad with his gruff exterior, he was going to frighten him by acting like a completely deranged mad man.  _Perfect._

 

\----

 

Ori only noticed the large dwarf appear beside him when he accidentally bumped into him, and in effect the table at the same time.

 

"Oh gosh, I am so-" Ori mumbled before he looked up shyly at the large dwarf, his words leaving him in an instant. 

 

The dwarf was incredibly large and built like the bulky wardrobe in Dori's room, Ori (being as small as he was) only came up to his shoulder, if not slightly below, and every inch of his visible flesh was covered in dark inky tattoos, his ears thickly pierced in rings and cuffs. A rather intimidating creature indeed, but as Ori looked up at him further he was struck with a beautiful sight of rich dark blue. His eyes. Mahal above, Ori had never seen such warm and crystal eyes before.

 

The large dwarf didn't say anything only kneeled to pick up the single snowdrop flower that fell when he knocked the table, the stranger looked at it before looking back at Ori, the tips of his lips twitching into what Ori assumed was a smile. Surely, Ori would grow fondly used to that sight if he was luckier than a saint.  The stranger then fiddled with the flower for a moment before he handed the single snowdrop over.

 

Ori returned the smile before he gently plucked the flower from the large dwarf hands, still keeping eye contact with the dwarf as he felt the warmth of his own palm slip against his, before he placed the flower to the underside of his nose and breathed in softly. The large dwarfs smile expanded into a fully fledged one and Ori couldn't help but feel his heart flutter in his chest.

 

A few, far too short, moments later a cry rang through the air and the perfect moment was shattered.

 

" _Get back here, you scoundrel!_ " An enraged voice shouted in Khuzdul before a crackling sound of crates toppling over followed. Ori practically fell into the strangers arms as he was pushed by a large dwarf, Ori didn't mind of course as the dwarf was perfectly capable of catching him with those thick biceps. The large dwarf who shoved him, Ori now noticed, was making a gap for another slim looking dwarf to run past, his stomach settled heavily at the familiar sight.

 

" _Stop him! He's a thief! Where are the guardsmen?! Thief! Thief!_ " The angry dwarf shouted, pointing to the quickly disappearing back of the dwarf running through the crowd, his dark and muddy green cloak fluttering behind him.

 

Ori knew that cloak like he knew his own hand.

 

The stranger set him up straight again and looked at him for what felt like a long moment before a few words escaped him.

 

"I- uh- I- you-" 

 

The large dwarf didn't say anything beyond that before he turned and ran after the sprinting thief. Ori unknowingly (and unknowing to the dwarves running the stand) tucked the snowdrop into his trouser pocket before running after the pair himself, internally cursing his families foolishness as he did.

 

\----

 

Nori panted roughly as he reached the top of the abandoned slum, his usual place of hide out from the flat footed guardsmen, before pulling his cloak over his three pivots of his hair.

 

The thief then dove into the inside cloak pocket and pulled out his tiny magnifying glass along with today's stolen goods, a beautiful gold and acrylic locket. It's not like that wide load dwarf needed any more on his stall, so Nori decided to do him a favour by lets say...  _relieving_ him of some of those more pesky trinkets. By the gods, what a trinket it was two! Heart shaped with a small hinge on the side to open and store pictures, the acrylic was the fill of the heart and a single diamond set in the middle, it was a love necklace, Nori knew that, he had swiped many from drunken dwarrow ladies before.

 

Nori waited for his breathing to settle ( _he was getting far too old for this_ ) before inspecting the inside locket. However, his inspection was cut short as while he was so engorged at looking at the pretty piece he completely missed someone walking up the steps behind him, a stern frown on his face and his arms set disappointingly over his chest. 

 

"Nori?" 

 

The thief gave a startled jump before spinning his head to see Ori standing by the stairs, arms crossed over his chest and looking far from impressed at the elder, Nori tried to smile innocently and hid the locket behind his back.

 

"Ah, and there's my favourite little brother!" Nori said with a wide grin as he opened his arms, expecting his brother to come over and give him a well earned hug. Ori didn't budge, nor did he buy it for a second, too familiar with his brothers cunning smile.

 

"You promised Dori you wouldn't do this any more." Ori stated and the elder deflated slightly.

 

"I can't help it Ori, this is what keeps you good and fed." Nori replied and Ori sighed, he knew it was true, that the thieving of his brother over the years had kept him fed and healthy, but that was not the point.

 

"What about when you get arrested, Nori? What will happen then?" Ori argued and Nori waved a hand in dismissal.

 

"You mean _if_ I get arrested, baby brother." Nori said cockily and Ori groaned.

 

"When, if, it is all the same to me, Nori." Ori argued before he sighed and looked his brother in he eye, turning on the large puppy eyes that made Nori melt like putty in his hands when he was little. "Promise me, don't do it again."

 

Nori sighed in annoyance, his little brother always knew just what buttons to push, so the thief sighed before stowing the locket back into his hooded cloak.

 

"Fine, this is the last time." Nori lied. No matter what it would always come back to this way of life, whether Dori needed medicine in his old age or Ori needed food, Nori would always provide what he could for his small family in anyway he could. Always.

 

Ori smiled brightly before running over to hug his elder brother. Many minutes later when Nori decided the town was now clear of guards they walked back down the stairs of the building, the elder brothers arm slung over the younger brothers shoulder as he smiled and asked Ori about his day. Ori flushed brightly and thought about the dwarf in the market this morning, then he quickly changed the topic.

 

\----

 

When they finally got home, Dori had a fit and a half,  right on the porch of their house. Ranting endlessly about how he was worried sick and if Ori was to waddle off again to at least tell him first. Ori smiled and nodded in agreement to his brothers rambling words as he knew it would make this conversation end much quicker, in all honesty, he wasn't listening to a word his brother was saying.

 

Sure enough, after what felt like an hour of talking Dori was out of breath, and Ori excused himself politely before returning to his bedroom. He had began changing into his comfortable lounge clothes when he felt something slip out of his trouser pocket, he looked down and there on the floor laid a parched and shrivelled looking snowdrop.

 

Ori gasped before he delicately picked it back up between his finger tips and examined it carefully, he then ran into the bathroom attached to his tiny bedroom and filled one of his spare ink pots with water, before carefully putting it on the side of the bed and placing the snowdrop inside. The plant seemed to brighten up slightly and Ori smiled as he gently petted the wrinkled petals of the flower before shaking his head at his own foolishness, deciding instead to focus on getting dressed and not start thinking about mysterious well muscled dwarves with tattoos all over their body and hands so large they could crush a melon, but were also so soft they could pluck flowers without breaking them. No, he was not thinking about that!

 

\----

 

Dwalin sat at his brothers kitchen table, a plate of warm cookies in front of him that laid untouched, with his head in his hand and his eyes looking out the window where he could clearly see a birds eyes view of the markets square and the flower stand. He had never noticed the view before today but then again he hadn't needed too before, because now his heart was aching and for a change it wasn't due to the over use of Old Toby in his pipe. Balin sat opposite his brother, looking curiously at the distracted dwarf as he sipped at his cup of camomile tea.

 

"Dwalin, will you not have a cookie? I had them made especially for your visit." Balin prompted as he pressed the plate closer to his brother, the tattooed dwarf looked at the plate for a moment and shrugged as he returned his gaze out of the window.

 

"No thank ye, I guess I'm not very hungry."

 

Balin snorted into his tea, causing himself to cough and splutter in a undignified way, but it still did not hold the attention of his younger sibling. Dwalin not being hungry was the equivalent of the mines of Moria not being dangerous, it was ridiculous! He himself had seen on many occasion Dwalin eat a whole roasted boar by himself, in one sitting, without cutlery! And he couldn't even handle one small plate of cookies? Something was seriously wrong.

 

When his coughing fit finally subsided Balin looked over at his brother with a concerned expression.

 

"Dwalin, are you quite alright?" Balin asked and Dwalin hummed in a positive response, even if the white haired dwarf wasn't convinced. "Are you having some type of medical problem? Because Dwalin there is no shame in-"

 

"I'm not ill, Balin." Dwalin replied, still not looking at his brother and the elder dwarf took the hint and looked outside the window with a raised brow.

 

"This is not about that thief getting away is it?" Balin questioned now. "Because again Dwalin, there is no shame in admitting that you-"

 

"It's not about the thief." Dwalin replied softly. _Softly?!_ This was getting even stranger. 

 

Balin looked outside the window again, he saw nothing, just the market square which was as usual a mess of merchants, animals, more dwarves than Erebor itself possessed an-

 

_Dwarves. That's it!_

 

"Dwalin, have you got something to tell me?" Balin asked his brother, who was now swirling a silver spoon in his tea and making a face of disgust at the liquid.

 

"Aye, I don't take milk with my tea." Dwalin replied before shoving the cup toward his brother, getting to his feet a moment later and his brother copying the action.

 

"Come now, you can tell me." Balin said with a wide smile and Dwalin raised a scarred eyebrow at him.

 

"Tell ye about what?" Dwalin asked as he shouldered his back that he had placed behind his chair when he first came into his brothers home, and the white haired dwarf continued to smile annoyingly.

 

"This dwarrow you have your eye on?" Balin said with a slight wink which made Dwalin want to vomit, he instead settled for gagging loudly. "Now brother, I might be past my years but in the day I was quite the casanova and I-"

 

"Thank ye for the tea Balin, but I would rather not have a lesson on ancient history in the land time forgot." Dwalin mocked and Balin laughed sarcastically.

 

"You cannot escape me Dwalin," Balin stated as the younger brother moved towards the door. "I have patience, you on the other hand do not."

 

"Aye, I would get that checked out." Dwalin said offhandedly before marching out of his brothers house, leaving the white haired man huffing to himself about the stubbornness that seemed to have befallen his brother and how it came directly from their fathers side of the family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Tell me what you think??))


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The princes of durin are really really dumb, but Ori loves them anyway...

Ori sighed as he lounged back on his bed, his arms splayed at his sides and the young princes, who through all these years had still remained his best of friends, sat at the end of the small bed on a large oaken chest where Ori kept his scrolls and quills. Kili tilted his head in confusion and scratched it while Fili rubbed the small patch of stubble on the right side of his jaw, both brothers looking more deep in thought than Ori had ever seen them.

 

"So, lets go through this again," Fili said after a long moment, looking at his long time friend in apparent concentration. "You met someone at the market, he gave you a flower, but didn't talk. Then your brother ran past with some stolen goods, he chased him... annnnd you haven't seen him since?"

 

"Exactly." Ori sighed before looking up at the royal pair, both of them still looking like they were in deep thought.

 

"And the problem is?" Kili asked and Ori groaned as he sat up, crossing his legs underneath him, before slapping his palm to his throbbing forehead.

 

"There is no problem... well it is not really a problem, it's just..." Ori said, trying to explain with some turning hand gestures, but he knew he wasn't getting the message across so he sighed. "It's just that... I don't know, he seemed kind of...sweet."

 

That sparked the interest anew in the young princes, their backs straightening instantly as they shuffled the chest closer toward the bed with just their heels dug into the floor, their knees hitting the soft edge of the mattress as they did.

 

"Sweet you say? My, Ori, are you implying that you hold a fancy for someone?" Kili questioned as he wiggled his eyebrows lewdly, only to receive a sudden smack to the head with a pillow by the annoyed scribe.

 

"Of course not! I've only met him once... don't be ridiculous. I don't even know his name!" Ori squawked, though he tried to keep his voice down in fear of Dori hearing him and deciding to eavesdrop on their conversation.

 

"Well come on, give us details!" Fili cried now and Kili nodded in agreement. "What does he look like? What does he do?" 

 

Ori ignored the tiny added  _'besides you'_  that was added by the youngest prince. Ori prepared the next pillow for action with a threatening look at the brown haired dwarf, but he seemed unfazed by it as he added.

 

"Aye Ori, give us every sordid detail." 

 

Kili received another smack with the feather pillowed.

 

"There is truly not much to tell, I'm assuming he is a watchman, or a good samaritan, maybe even a warrior, who knows really? All I know is that he chased after Nori when the stallsman called him a thief-"

 

"Maybe he's a city guard!" Kili cooed but was silenced by an elbow to the rib by his elder brother and a nod for Ori to continue.

 

"I didn't really get a good look at him, what with all the chaos happening so quickly after we met, but I do remember one thing..."

 

Ori gave a long paused as he sighed dreamily, the princes moved closer in anticipation and almost fell of the box as Ori continued.

 

"He had the most...  _remarkable,_  blue eyes I have ever seen, and he was so finely tall and incredibly handsome, he had some rather charming tattoos on his hands and I swear I saw some on his wrists, but then again that was all I could see, he was wearing a rather thick hood that day and the sleeves on his chain mail were so very long, but those eyes... I have never seen such a pair..."

 

Ori hadn't noticed he had been tracing his finger over the pillow as he spoke until he grew out of his trance and looked up at the princes, both were grinning brightly and fidgeting on his box, both looking about ready to burst out as many questions as possible, but it was Fili that spoke first, in an unusually calm manner.

 

"Did you get his name?" 

 

"No, I am afraid my market square stranger will remain just that, a stranger."

 

Both princes sagged in disappointment, Kili opened his mouth to ask a question this time but was interrupted when their was a knock on the door, Ori's master professor Balin stepping into the room with a armful of scrolls when it opened.

 

"Ori, I believe it is time for your lesson, and boys. Shouldn't you be heading to your weapons class?"

 

"Aggh, Master Balin, we couldn't possibly leaven now when Ori is- Ouch!"

 

A sharp kick to the shin silenced the prince and the eldest smiled sweetly at the elderly professor, who was now looking at the trio with a raised brow.

 

"What my brother was saying is, we couldn't possibly leave now when Ori... kindly asked us to help you with your books!" Fili said before jumping to his feet, pulling his younger with him, Ori still sat on his bed and giggling into his palm. "What do you want help with first?"

 

\----

 

"Nice one Fili," Kili hissed as he pulled his quiver on quickly and grabbed a handful of arrows to shove in before mocking his brothers tone. "We'll help you with your boookksss." Kili huffed as he returned to his normal voice. "You know that Balin has more books than the whole of the bloody library!"

 

"Yeah, well. I wouldn't have had to say anything if you didn't say," Fili changed his tone to a squeaky annoying one. "We couldn't possibly leave now when Ori is about to talk more about the man he has a fancy for that he doesn't want anyone to know about, because it will spread like a wild fire and eventually Dori will hear it, therefore forbidding Ori to ever leave his room again!" FIli's voice changed back into his own. "Nice one Kili, you may be my brother but you're the biggest idiot I know! And besides Balin's book collection may be big but his mouth is even bigger! The news about Ori would have been local gossip within three minutes if he found out."

 

Fili and Kili continued to speak as they ran out of their changing rooms, both of them struggling to pull on their armour and weapons as they went, and both colliding with a thick wall of muscle as they scurried out onto the training arena.

 

"Where in the name of Mahals balls have ye two been?" A familiar, and very angry voice, shouted and Fili lifted his helmet from over his eyes to see their instructor standing over them. His thick and visibly shown arms crossed over his chest and his usual scowl on his face.

 

"Hello, Master Dwalin... well you see the thing was-"

 

"I don't care about yer excuses! Ye were missing for twenty minutes so tonight ye'll be running for twenty minutes around this arena!"

 

"But Master Dwalin we have plans tonight!" Fili squawked in protest and Kili began shouting the same things at his elder brothers side. However, Dwalin stomped his foot with a sense of finality that made Fili and Kili's jaws both clamp shut.

 

"I guess ye'll have to make new plans, because tonight ye'll be running, now get into that arena right now before I throw you there!" Dwalin yelled and Fili and Kili quickly nodded before running toward the arena door, the youngest prince tripping over his falling chain mail bottoms as he went. Dwalin rolled his eyes with an annoyed head shake before following the boys.

 

\----

 

Ori had received a detailed letter from the princes while he was in his lesson, they were apparently being held this evening in the arena to be punished for their tardiness. The scribe felt incredibly bad and guilty for this so he decided, while copying a very important letter for Balin to the Leader of the Iron Hills, he should make them some cookies to apologise for getting them into trouble. He had requested Dori's permission of course, to use the kitchen and go out after his curfew of course, the eldest had been apprehensive to begin with but had changed his mind when Nori said he'd keep an eye on him and even escort him there, he mainly wanted some cookies too but Ori let him think he was doing the scribe a favour.

 

Nori had ate a handful of the delicious baked goods before Ori had to swat his hand away from grabbing any others off the plate, the thief had grown rather anxious as they arrived outside of the arenas gates and had told Ori that it was probably best if he stay outside to get the best view if danger was coming, of course, yet again Ori let him believe he was actually doing him a favour, not wanting to put a dent in his brothers pride.

 

The scribe had easily squeezed past the small gap in the gate that had been left by the person who had used it previously, what was difficult whoever was sneaking past the guards that frequently walked the grounds, but being as small as he was Ori was easily able to get past them without their noticing, and soon he was on the balcony that looked over the sand covered arena and saw the princes.

 

Fili was jogging around the rim of the building, looking slightly sweaty but still as good as ever, Kili on the other hand was far behind him panting, sweat pouring down him and red faced like Dori's favourite tomatoes. Anyone who knew the dwarves knew they were made for sprints rather than long distances. Kili being the main example of this.

 

While Ori watched with mirth in his eyes at the desperate princes running, he also noticed a shadowy figure in the corner of the arena, swinging heavy axes into a dangling chunk of wood, the flecks of the splintering wood breaking off with every backwards swing. His back seemed incredibly tense and he did not look back once, even though he knew someone new was on the balcony, Ori wondered briefly if he should go over to the warrior and ask if he was alright. However, this was dismissed as a gong chimed and the princes ceased their running, still panting as they approached the stranger and bowing to him as they were permitted to rest.

 

Ori couldn't control the laugh that hit him as Kili fell backwards into the sand with a loud groan, his eldest brother pulling him off the arena by his arms as they went to go change into their normal clothes. Ori following quickly on their trail. 

 

\----

 

Dwalin glared at the chunk of wood before him, eyes burning angrily as he did, he dared not to close them as every time he did he would have been brought back to that wretched day, the day that will change him forever, the day that made his insides twist at the very thought.

 

The day he met the snowdrop stranger.

 

He could still see it all now, copper hair shining brightly in the midday sun with large doe eyes underneath that made Dwalin's insides burn with rage and lust. He never thought he could ever love or feel something as powerful as he did at that moment, not since he had become a soldier and then a guard and defender of the city. The warrior had always assumed he would die old and alone, in his sleep perhaps and not be found until days later with wolves chomping at him.

 

He never thought he would care and think about a person as much as he did for this one being, this one boy with knitted mittens and purple ribbons in his hair, he just didn't!

 

Dwalin slammed the axe into the piece of wood, pulling it out a second later and repeating the action over and over again, his back tensing under the effort he put in. The only time he relaxed was when the twenty minute gong he set earlier that day chimed, he excused the boys and implored them not to do it again as they approached him from behind to ask to leave, they nodded to themselves. Or that is what Dwalin assumed as he saw the boys in the reflection of his axe, he chuckled as Fili began to pull an exhausted Kili back into the changing rooms, he tilted the head of his blade up for some unknown reason and saw a familiar figure stood atop the balcony.

  
_There!_ There stood the stranger, giggling and holding a plate of cookies. _Right there, in the reflection of Dwalin's axe!_

 

The warrior spun on his heel quickly and desperately looked up at the balcony, but nobody was there and Dwalin's hope shrivelled in his chest.

 

_Brilliant! Just brilliant, now not only was he desperately besotted with someone he had never seen before nor spoken to (other than a handful of broken words) in his life. Now he was going mad too! Just like his great Aunt Hindun, the crazy old goat!_

 

_The gods truly must love screwing with him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Tell me what you think??))


	3. Chapter 3

Thorin watched with a concerned expression and a pipe between his teeth as the head of the city guard, Dwalin, entered the royal eating hall, grabbed whatever was available on the long banquet table and sat at the far end of the table by himself, picking at the slab of meat on his plate with obvious distraction, he had been acting in such a way for two weeks now and it was brining major worry to the young king. 

 

"Balin," Thorin turned to his right to see the eldest of the pair at his side, sipping politely at the soup filled spoon before putting it down to address his highness. "May I ask what troubles Dwalin this morning?"

 

Balin looked to where the king had jostled his head and sighed deeply, it was true that his brothers behaviour truly had become more love stricken and distracted over the past few weeks, and no matter how many times Balin asked or investigated his brothers new behaviour he just couldn't find anything. What was he to do when his brother never spoke to him about his problems? He couldn't grovel... Any more than he has done already obviously.

 

"I don't know." Balin sighed as Fili and Kili waddled past Dwalin, trying to initiate conversation with him, only to be chased away by a loud growl and a flash of teeth. The princes shrieked and ran in the opposite direction, their plates of food falling to the floor with a loud clatter as they went. "He's been like this for weeks now."

 

"Aye, I've noticed." Thorin replied before he noticed Dwalin now stabbing at the mound of potato at the side of his plate. "Perhaps I should talk to him."

 

Balin only hummed in reply and the king got to his feet before he hesitantly marched over to the guard, Dwalin still focused of massacring his potatoes with a deep frown on his face, the king sign before placing his hand solidly on the guards shoulder.

 

"Something troubling you, friend?" 

 

Thorin sat beside the guard as he grunted and pointed his knife at the meat.

 

"Aye, something troubles me." Dwalin growled before stabbing the dark slab of meat and raising it for Thorin to see. "They overcooked it again, how am I supposed to enjoy my lunch when I have to deal with this?!"

 

Dwalin slapped the meat back down again on his plate, causing the ceramic circle to snap in half, which also caused the attention of the table to turn directly at them. Thorin smiled reassuringly and Dwalin glared at them all, not caring what he looked like. Much to his elder brothers annoyance.

 

"Come, we'll speak outside." Thorin stated before scraping up the shattered pieces of plate and putting it onto a passing servants tray, the king then got to his feet and gestured for the guard to do the same, which he did after many moments of hesitation.

 

Dwalin shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked beside the king, and unfortunately for him it wasn't long until they reached the balcony of the royal halls, which gave a clear lookout over the kingdom.

 

"Tell me Dwalin, how have you been feeling lately?" Thorin asked as the pair leaned against the railing and looked over the kingdom. "It is unlike you to complain or not eat your food."

 

"Why is everyone assuming there is something wrong?! Why can I just be not hungry!" Dwalin barked in exasperation before turning to the king who was looking at him with a smirk and a cocked eyebrow.

 

"I never said something was wrong, I was just asking how you were." Thorin stated and Dwalin's face dropped visibly, he always forgot that Thorin was the master of reverse psychology, just like his darn mother. Mahal bless her soul. Thinking that Thorin would just end the conversation there, as he had finally got at least something out of Dwalin, but the king cleared his throat and continued. "Then there  _is_  indeed something wrong."

 

"No!"

 

"Are you sure?"

 

"Yes!"

 

"I don't believe you."

 

_Groan._

 

Dwalin placed his head on the cooling stone of the balcony, before peeking up slightly to catch a glimpse of the market square in the distance, letting out a deep sigh as he did. He did not notice of course the way his king leaned at his side adjusting his position to match Dwalins to get a hint of where he was looking, when he had an idea of where it was he grinned and straightened his back.

  
"That's what has your attention, the market place!" Thorin concluded and Dwalin glared sharply at him, giving the king all the information he needed. "Ah ha! It's a dwarf isn't it!"

 

Dwalin only groaned before returning to his place on the balcony and huffing.

 

"I knew it. It's love isn't it? I never thought I'd see the day." Thorin said before leaning over the balcony and shouting. "Dwalin Fundin is in love-"

 

Dwalin slapped a meaty hand over the kings mouth to silence him, snarling a particular string of curses that should not be repeated in public in case there were any dwarflings around.

 

"Keep it down, would ye! I don't want people thinkin' I've gone soft." Dwalin hissed and Thorin rolled his eyes, his mouth still silenced by the dwarfs large hand. The guard have him a final look in warning before removing his hand.

 

"It's not soft, Dwalin. Why, many dwarves find their ones and settle d-"

 

"I never said I've met my one!"

 

Thorin looked at his friend in confusion then before shaking his head firmly.

 

"I'm sorry, but you're displaying many of the symptoms of a being with the beginning stages of love for their one." Thorin commented and Dwalin spat.

 

"Well, I am not. Ye know I don't believe in all that fairy tale rubbish." Dwalin growled in reply before gathering himself and turning his back to his king, as he noticed some action in the distant market place and knew for some reason he needed to be there. "Now, if ye'll excuse me, I have work to do."

 

When Thorin looked like he was about to say something else, the guard ignored him and marched away quickly, leaving his king to shake his head and sigh in annoyance at the stupidity and stubbornness of his friend.

 

\----

 

Nori slid between the legs of dwarves all clustered in the market square, the golden necklace he had just 'borrowed' clutched tightly in his fist as he ran. He could hear the angry curses of the guardsmen behind him and it only made him run faster, he also knew one dwarf who was right on his tail was on hard headed Dwalin Fundin, he was never one to give up a chase. Especially when it came to him. Nori had no idea why he made that guards blood boil so much, possibly because of the time he stole from his elder brother, or the time he tripped him up and he landed face first in the mud right in front of his elders, or maybe it was the time-

 

Nori could not concentrate on that right now, he had to escape that darn guard!

 

"Nori, what are you doing!" A familiar voice shouted and in his running Nori looked to his right to see the heartbroken face of his little brother, he had promised not to do this, not to get into any more trouble. Ori had caught him red handed running away from a group of angry guards with a golden trinket in his fist.

 

Nori looked back to see the guards now in a pile on the floor and he laughed loudly as he went around a corner, leaving the guards in his dust.

 

\----

 

_"Nori, what are you doing!"_

 

Those were the words that brought Dwalin down. The voice he had only heard once stopping him dead in his tracks as he looked around for the face to match it, the voice had been calling after the thief he was pursuing, with such passion that Dwalin's heart had sunk with the words.  _The well known thief Nori, of all people!_  

 

_Perhaps they were related. Or thieves who worked together. Thieves who knew each other very well. Who would be dating, or partners, or even husbands! Thieves who would make love on top of a pile of gold they would steal and laugh at Dwalin's dumb love struck face as they did it!_

 

Dwalin's blood boiled in rage, at all the scenarios his mind twisted into shape. 

 

He continued to scan the crowd but once again the face of his snowdrop stranger was no where to be seen and his heart began to shrink again, but it ended quickly as the rest of the guards caught up and collided with him.

 

Dwalin looked up when he hit the floor, seeing the thief look back and laugh at the pile of groaning dwarves before turning a corner. 

 

The guard growled and his blood hummed in anger in his veins before he lifted himself and tossed the other guards off him with ease, this was not over. Far from it, he needed to chase this thief, see what he had that Dwalin did not have, other than the heart of his snowdrop stranger.

 

Dwalin began his pursuit again, much to the rest of the guards protest and sped around the corner, seeing the thief walk slowly down the end of the alley and making a turn. Foolish thief, thinking he was safe.

 

The guard ran down the slim road before appearing on the other side and grabbing the thief by the scruff of his shirt.

 

"Got ye!" Dwalin shouted in success and the dwarves eyes widened with fear before he gazed around quickly, the guard knew he was looking for the snowdrop stranger so he growled before shoving the thief into the mud and slapped the wooden cuffs over his wrists.

 

Little did both of them know that the dwarf they both seeked was currently gazing around the corner of another nearby alley, sobbing into the sleeves of his rag ended jumper and running into the darkness in search of his elder brother, to tell him the news of what happened and to reflect on his own heart that was breaking inside his chest for his brother and the stranger he now knew was someone he could never be with. A city guardsman.

 

\----

 

Ori ran through the market, his ears ringing and his legs feeling numb beneath him, he could not believe what he had just witnessed. He could not believe that not only did his elder brother break his promise of no stealing but he also saw the dwarf he met in the market that day handle him so roughly, and then throw him to the floor with such callousness, he could not believe a dwarf who could handle flowers with such care could simply throw a living dwarf to the ground.

 

_How could this be? How could he have fallen in love with a harsh enemy of his brother? How could he have fallen in love with a brutal, rugged guardsman? Was Mahal out of parts when he chiselled them from the same stone? How could Ori believe his one was a being such as this? A being that knew only death and hate?_

 

Ori shoved open the door of his brothers work and panted roughly, Dori looked up from his cup of tea and the scribe wanted to sigh in relief to know his brothers was on break but all the breath that was left in him was now gone from running and his frantic thoughts.

 

"Ori are you-" Dori began but Ori shook his head quickly to silence his brother.

 

"Nori's been arrested!"

 

The cup in Dori's hands fell and landed on the floor in the shatter as the dwarf jumped to his feet instantly, quickly pulling his brother out of the store as he quickly scurry out of the market square and toward their slum home only a few blocks of tall buildings away.

 

\----

 

Dwalin threw the mud covered thief into the cell as he removed his wooden handcuffs, before slamming and locking the heavy door behind him.

 

"If I hear one word from ye-" Dwalin began to threaten, still enraged that the dwarf he loved had found love in such a despicable being, but the threat was stopped short when Nori spat at his heavy boots and flipped the guard a rude hand gesture.

 

"Go suck it, Fundin. I won't be talkin." 

 

Dwalin growled and scrapped the glob of spit off his boot before marching away from the cell, down a thin hall, and then into a large room where a desk was placed in the centre and many of the city guards milled around it. The large guard threw his knuckle dusters off and onto the desk before heavily taking a seat, pulling out a wad of papers to begin the signing in process of his newest criminal.

 

Not caring for the way his heart was continually shattering in his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Oh Dwalin, always getting the wrong end of the stick... Tell me what you think??))


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \----

Dori was the one to march into the guards house, ordering his little brother to stand outside for his own safety as the elder brother had never met a guard that was friendly nor one that didn't have a wandering eye for pretty little things, Ori had done as he was told and stood outside without argument, he didn't want to see that grotesque guardsman he had met at the flower stand and had pulled his innocently charming display for him, he didn't tell Dori any of this either. 

 

The grey haired dwarf marched proudly down the hall, ignoring the snickering of guardsmen either side of him and wolf whistles as he walked, and instead marched straight up to the front desk where a deflated looking guard was sat.

 

\----

 

Dwalin knew he should have been a tinker. Tinkers always got the people they loved! Guards didn't, all they got was bloody knuckles and sensual criminals who were looking for a good shag once in a while, he never got sweet knitted cardigan wearing beauties with copper hair and doe innocent eyes! No, because those beings were always shacked up with thieves and liars!

 

Dwalin slammed his hand on the desk repeatedly until the sound of someone clearing their throat jabbed into Dwalin's angry thoughts, he looked up to see a grey haired dwarf looking at him with a raised brow and a coin purse in his hands.

 

"I am here to pay for the release of the criminal Nori." The grey haired being said and Dwalin growled as he got to his feet, snatching the coin purse out of the grey dwarfs hands.

 

"Are ye his lover too?" Dwalin hissed in annoyance and the grey being gawped at him, his mouth opening and closing numerous times in an attempt to speak.

 

"Excuse me! Mind your tongue guardsman, I do not appreciate such tones! And besides I am not his lover I am his b-"

 

"Yer short." Dwalin snapped before chucking the purse at the grey haired dwarf again, not interested in the sordid affair between him and the thieving dwarf, not when he had a lot more grumbling to do. "Come back when ye can pay."

 

"There is a three piece gold coin in there!" Dori protested with a dark frown on his face. "That is surely more than enough!"

 

"Aye, for one robbery." Dwalin stated before rummaging through the desk around him and pulling out a wad of papers, shaking them in the dwarfs face as he did. "Not enough however for sixty two individual cases! Now as I said come back when ye can pay and not a day before!"

 

Dori looked with wide eyed at the papers, but had nothing to say, so he quickly gathered himself together and began walking towards the entrance of the building once more and when he turned his back the guard sighed and deflated again before chucked the papers back into the desk with a huff.

 

\----

 

Ori smiled when he saw the familiar grey hair appear from behind the guardhouse doors, but it quickly sank when he didn't see a star shaped brunet style travel with it.

 

"Where is Nori?" Ori asked as soon as his eldest brother stepped close to him, Dori only shook his head and sighed deeply.

 

"Come Ori, we will return tomorrow." Dori stated before taking his young brother mitted hand and tugged him along, Ori dug his heels into the earth for a moment and looked back at the large jail house. Could it be true? Could his mysterious love be here of all places? So close but so distant at the same time.

 

"Ori?" Dori questioned with a raised brow and Ori shook his head to clear his thoughts before he quickly followed his elder brother, deciding he would need some discussion time with Fili and Kili to hopefully get all these thoughts swirling in his mind straightened out.

 

\----

 

Dwalin tapped his fingers against the wood of his desk and sighed deeply, he had been sat at his desk all day, uncaring of anyone who approached, he didn't have to worry however as anyone who approached him would quickly leave in a desperate retreat. Right now he was just staring at some papers he was meant to be filling in, occasionally he would gaze at the wax that was trickling down the side of a candle nearby. He sighed again.

 

The large dwarf was pulled out of his moping stage when a soft tune of a harmonica invaded the air, it was a rather sad song and it reminded him of his market stranger in the strange fluttery fashion that the tune unfolded into. Dwalin would have to put a stop to that.

 

The large guard managed to jumped to his feet before grabbing the candle from the desk, holding it aloft as he began marching down the hall towards the cells.

 

Sure enough, the one person he didn't want to see right now was sat in his cell placing the harmonica to his lips and playing a sorrowful tune, the guard ripped the key from his belt and placed it into the lock with a turn, pulling the door open a moment later and glaring at the dwarf who was staring at him in return. His mouth still pressed to the pipes of the instrument.

 

"Enough." Dwalin barked and the thief narrowed his eyes at him.

 

"Bite me, Fundin." The thief snapped in reply before he continued playing the instrument now more obnoxiously; it grated on Dwalin's already frazzled nerves.

 

The large guard marched into the cell and ripped the instrument from the thief's lips, and resisted the urge to smash it against the wall.

 

"I said, enough." Dwalin said now, trying to make his voice even. "Go to sleep."

 

"Mahal above Fundin, what happened to you?" Nori asked with a harsh laugh and Dwalin's fist clenched as his blood began boiling in his veins again. "You used to be so much more aggressive, you would have usually smacked me by now."

 

Dwalin only growled slightly and marched back out the cell, ignoring the way his heart was beating practically out of his chest as he slammed the door. However, he didn't get far as a hand grabbed his arm through the bars and Nori glared up at him, moments later a look of realisation hit the thief's face.

 

"Oh I see... Is it love, Fundin?" Nori asked with another harsh laugh. "Who is the unfortunate sod?"

 

Dwalin's hands tightened in their clenched position, the only reason he hadn't punched the thief yet was the single fact that even though the being he sought after didn't love him in return, and instead loved the thief, he couldn't bring himself to hurt the stranger. If the little dwarf was in love or felt affection anyway at all for the thief then he couldn't bring himself to hurt the despicable dwarf, because then he would be hurting his love.

 

Dwalin pulled his wrist back and the thief smirked at him again before retreating back into the shadows of the cell, leaving the guard to march down the hall again, ignoring the twisting pain of thorns in his heart.

 

\----

 

Ori threw his hands over his face and groaned loudly, as the light of midday poured through his window and covering his bedroom in a more than unnecessary light. Why was it when you felt the worst and would rather spend a day in the darkness Mahal seemed to curse everything in sunlight? 

 

The only time the young scribe looked up is when he heard the door snap open and the sound that resembled a stampede of Oliphants charged into his room.

 

"Ori, we got your message!" Kili said as he scrambled onto the bed next to his dear friend and quickly looked him over for injury. "Are you alright? What happened? The last time you sent a quick receive note your brother was being arrested!"

 

"Calm down Kili, give him a moment." Fili's voice replied and Ori slowly sat up, still not removing his hands from his face.

 

"Do you believe Mahal is capable of mistakes?" Ori asked, muffled behind his hands, before he heard the springs of his bed shift as his friends sat comfortable on the bed.

 

"Well... depends in what context. We used to know this lady from the iron hills, she had lost an arm to a mining accident. Many used to say it was because Mahal soldered the stone too weak and that caused her to lose her arm, she says it was a blessing." Fili stated and Ori peeked at him from between his fingers. "She used to say that it made her feel different, blessed in some way, because now she could live her life differently than before. Change is a good thing, you see."

 

"Oh I remember her!" Kili interrupted with a wide grin. "Samtia? Wasn't it? Or was it-"

 

"I don't think it matters now, Kili." Fili hushed his brother gently and Ori finally allowed his hands to fall down his face, the elder prince then turned to his friend and furrowed his brow. "Why? Is something wrong?"

 

"It's just... you know that dwarf I met in the market... he- he arrested Nori."

 

"What?"

 

"That can't be!"

 

"It is," Ori said with a sad sniff. "An- and now we can't get him out, the price for his bail is too high... I-I can't believe myself. To think I could ever love such a rugged awful-"

 

"Ori, calm down!" Fili interrupted as his younger brother flung himself at the scribe and began crushing him in a hug. "If Mahal intended for you to be ones, then certainly he must have forged him to be good!"

 

"How can he be when he is something I am supposed to hate?" Ori asked now, even though it was muffled again in Kili's shoulder.

 

"How do you know you hate him? He might be a guard but there are some nice guards about, I swear it!"

 

"Like Mister Dwalin!" Kili shouted now and Fili nodded vigorously.

 

"Aye, Mister Dwalin is the nicest guard ever, an- and I am sure there are more!" 

 

Just as Ori opened his mouth to speak again the door to his chamber began to drift open and the opening was soon replaced with the figure of his eldest brother, the scribes mouth clamped shut instantly and smiled as Dori did.

 

"I am working the long shift at work today, we just need a few more golds and we can get Nori back," Dori said with a determined expression. "Dinners on the stove, take it off in two hours and it should be ready. Don't answer the door to strangers. And boys-" Fili and Kili looked over at him. "If you're staying over, please don't make too much mess."

 

"We won't Dori." The princes said in unison before Dori nodded and ducked back out the door. It was a long tense moment in the room before the boys began speaking again.

 

"So, you can't afford to get Nori out, huh?"

 

Ori nodded and used the back of his mitted hands to wipe away the now freshly falling tears. So busy wiping away the falling drops that he missed the look shared between brothers and a silent agreement forming, he only noticed something suspicious when Kili slipped from around him and got off the bed.

 

"Sorry Ori, we forgot we have..." Fili began before they spoke at the same time.

 

"Ballroom lessons!"

 

"Forging to do!"

 

The brothers shared an aggravated look before looking back at Ori with innocent smiles.

 

"Indeed... I suppose I'll see you-"

 

"See you at dinner!" They both shouted before quickly running out of the chamber again and Ori watched them for a short time, shook his head fondly at the princes actions before flopping back on the bed.

 

\----

 

Dwalin huffed as he shuffled the pieces of paper in his hands, moving them pointlessly around the desk and running his hand over the knots in the wood, it was a quiet day as usual. Well, it was until a large bag of coins landed right under Dwalin's nose. Which instantly caused the dwarf to look up and see the princes, large grins on their faces and hands behind their backs in an innocent gesture, the guard groaned.

 

"What are ye two doing here?" Dwalin asked as he picked up the bag and inspected it.

 

"We are here to pay the bail of the thief Nori." Fili said simply and Dwalin raised a brow at him.

 

"Nori?" The guard questioned with a hardened glare. "Why?"

 

"He is the brother of one of our dear friends." Kili stated with a small smile gracing his features.

 

"A brother, huh?" Dwalin asked as he looked inside the bag, seeing the right amount of gold for the thief's release inside. "Not that old grey dwarf who was here the other day?"

 

"No, that's Dori, his eldest brother. We are here on behalf of his little brother Ori." Kili continued and Dwalin snorted.

 

"Then why don't little brother Ori come down to see his brother?" Dwalin questioned and the princes hardened their gaze on him.

 

"He gets very nervous in new company, and right now he is not having much liking towards guards."

 

"Well, I don't have much liking towards his brother."

 

Fili and Kili continued to glare at him and the guard eventually sighed and began writing the bond for release of the thief Nori, the larger man huffed as he finished counting the coins until passing the paper to a nearby guard and ordering him to bring the criminal out. Fili and Kili gazed at each other happily and bounced with joy as they thanked the large guard and all Dwalin could do was grunt in return and accept the hugs that he was showered in by the princes, until Kili spoke once again.

 

"Oh by the way, do you know any attractive guards?" Kili asked and Dwalin looked down at him in concern as Fili face palmed and kicked his brother in the shin, that didn't stop the younger though. "Preferably one with dark hair, sparkling blue eyes, really tall? Ring a bell?"

 

"Can't say I does." Dwalin returned with a frown until the thief came around, cuffed to another short guard and glaring at everyone in the room as usual.

 

"Fili! Kili! What are you doing here?!" Nori requested as his handcuffs were loosened and was free once more. "How are my brothers? Is Ori alright?"

 

"He's fine," Fili reassured as he placed a hand on Nori's shoulder. "He just wants his brother home desperately, come on."

 

Nori nodded before turning to Dwalin with a cough and a extended hand, the guard looked at the limb for a moment before groaning, yanking open a nearby drawer and slamming the harmonica in the thief's grip.

 

"Good to see you again, Dwalin." Nori said sarcastically before he began following the princes who were already walking out of the large hall.

 

Dwalin resisted the urge to flip the desk as the thief walked out, because now he knew. He knew the thief would be returning to his little family, his brothers, and his beautiful copper haired lover, and the pain that was eating away at Dwalin's heart was becoming unbearable. The guard watched, ill with jealousy as the thief finally disappeared out the doors before the guard huffed and ran back from the desk and towards his private office, deciding it best to drink away his trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Tell me what you think??))


End file.
